RESEARCH
CURRENT PROJECTS
Mutual Aid & Resistance to Homeless Encampment Sweeps in Los Angeles, CA
My master’s thesis examines how community organizers work in solidarity with unhoused neighbors to not only resist anti-homeless policies but also address the physical and emotional needs of encampment residents, which are worsened through city-sanctioned sweeps. Through interviews, I capture the survival strategies of individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness and the mobilization tactics of mutual aid organizers.
Homelessness Survival Strategies
This research seeks to better understand how and why individuals experiencing homelessness in San Diego access resources, as well as the strategies they employ to survive. Our current work examines survival strategies and service access in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Project for Sanitation Justice
This research captures the quality and quantity of public bathrooms within San Diego County. Our goal is to identify and visualize existing facilities to drive action towards more just and equitable decision-making around public restrooms in the region.
Community Views on Homeless-Serving Facilities
This research examines resident attitudes towards placing homeless-serving facilities in their community. Our goal was to understand under what conditions the public would accept such facilities and to explore patterns and dynamics of opposition.
PAST PROJECTS
Effects of Neighborhood Watch Apps on Fear of Crime
This research uses the cultivation theory to extend the link between elevated fear of crime and consumption of crime-related news through traditional media to neighborhood watch apps (i.e., Nextdoor, Citizen). My undergraduate honors thesis found prolonged engagement with these apps significantly increased users’ fear of crime, compared to non-users living in the same Los Angeles Census track.
